Stardust - Foxxay
by yellowlitchi
Summary: Chocolate shop AU / Misty goes to buy chocolates on Valentine's day and bonds with the cute cashier. What will this encounter lead to? - foxxay fluff - this is my first fic I hope it's okay - i own none of the characters
1. Chapter 1 - a typical encounter

Valentine's day was coming up, and gosh did Misty hate that day. Every year it was the same thing, the same struggle. Dozens of couples walking hand in hand, people smiling lovingly at each other, and Misty just couldn't stand watching it. She'd always wondered how it would feel like to be in love with someone. Actually, she had never really dated anyone before, besides her junior school crush who'd left her almost as soon as she'd started seeing him, which is why even the mere thought of celebrating Valentine's day just caused her more frustration.

This year though, Misty had decided that she wouldn't let this bring her down anymore, so on that morning, since she hadn't planned anything, she decided it was time for her to gather her courage and try to get the best of her day. She gazed out of her bedroom window and wasn't surprised to see that the shop facades were already lit up, even though it was still quite early in the morning. She jumped out of bed and pulled out of her wardrobe the frilly flower-patterned dress she'd just bought, pairing it with her favourite shawl and a pair of brown boots. She ran down the stairs, grabbed her coat and walked out the door, not caring to have breakfast. _I'll grab some food in town_ , she figured.

As she stepped outside, she felt a snowflake softly landing on the end of her nose. She grinned at the cold feeling as she started walking down the street. She lived a few blocks away from the town centre, so it would only take her a couple of minutes to get to the place she was intending to go to. The swamp witch shivered as she felt the cold air caressing her neck. _Silly me_ , _I should have taken a scarf,_ she thought to herself. A few moments later, she was standing in front of a small chocolate shop. The store was charming looking, brightened up by fairy lights and decorated with sparkly balloons and pink lilies.

Misty had spotted the shop a few days before and she'd thought about giving it a try, but she hadn't really taken the time to do so. Heart shaped chocolates were put on display in the window, and as she peered through the glass, Misty could see that four couples were already cuing up in front of the counter. She didn't really want to go in, the sight of all these people holding hands making her a little uncomfortable. She was starting to regret this impromptu shopping spree. The swamp witch hesitantly stood in front of the shop, not knowing what to do. People started coming out, and as the shop started to empty, Misty still hadn't moved. As she swept her eyes across the inside of the small boutique, she let her gaze lay on the cashier standing behind the counter. The young woman was squinting her eyes and concentrating on her task. Her long blond locks fell gracefully on her shoulders, her blouse slightly revealing her collarbones, and her long dark high-waisted trousers seemed to hug her figure perfectly. The vision of this woman was mesmerizing, and Misty simply couldn't take her eyes off her. While the witch's eyes were still glued on her, the shop employee looked up at her and smiled. Misty smiled back and felt herself blushing as she looked down at her feet. The cashier, seeing that the woman outside had been standing in front of the shop for a while and still hadn't come in, walked towards the door. She opened it and stood on the porch, now facing the other woman.

"Are you going to come in or are you going to stand there forever?" She asked jokingly, flashing a smile, big brown eyes lighting up.

Misty felt her cheeks fiercely turning red, and as she looked up at the woman opposite her, she could barely get a word out of her mouth.

"So?" The woman questioned, motioning her towards the door of the boutique. The witch simply nodded and followed her inside. As the employee slid herself behind the counter, Misty managed to gather herself, thinking about what to say.

"Hum, I'm sorry, I'm just… I just didn't know what to do, I... I'm not really a Valentine's person I guess...I got a bit scared." She mumbled, hesitatingly.

"That's fine, you can just have a look around if you want." The woman replied softly. Her voice tone was calm and southing, and she seemed to be the kind of person who always wore a smile. Even Misty, who was usually tense and nervous and tended to panic around strangers, found her smile simply irresistible.

"Are you looking for anything specific?" She asked, trying to help the witch, who now seemed more lost than ever.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I came here in the first place, I don't even have a Valentine." Misty sighed.

"That's okay, you're allowed to get chocolates for yourself." The cashier looked at her, once again with a wide smile.

"Kind of sad though." she muttered under her breath. To Misty's surprise, the woman had heard her mumbling.

"I don't think that's sad, it's okay to treat yourself once in a while."

Misty looked up at the woman opposite her, smiling shyly. "I'm so sorry to bother you with my stories, I just…" she sighed, not wanting to finish her sentence, as she leaned on the cash desk.

"That's okay." The woman replied as she placed her hand on Misty's. The witch shivered as she felt the woman's soft touch, instantly looking down to try and hide her fierce blushing. As the woman's hand moved away, it took a few seconds for Misty to come back to reality and gather her thoughts.

"Which flavour would you recommend?" She asked as she flashed a smile. She couldn't help but stare at the woman, she just couldn't stop thinking about how alluring she found her, fascinated by her every move.

"These are amazing, actually they're my favourite." The woman pointed at the flower shaped chocolates. "It's white chocolate with just a little hint of cinnamon, do you want to try it?"

"I'd love to!" she replied, "I really have a thing for anything with cinnamon" she added, nodding her head. The other woman laughed softly at the witch's words. The smaller woman handed a chocolate to Misty, who eagerly ate it all at once, humming at the taste. "This is amazing!" she declared with her mouth full in a high-pitched voice, suddenly feeling a little more comfortable with the woman. "I'm definitely getting a box of these", as she motioned at the chocolates on the rack in front of her. The other woman took a bite of one of the chocolates as well, shutting her eyes and savouring the taste. "That's a way of eating chocolate!" Misty pointed out as she watched the woman's actions.

"Well, that's my job!" the cashier replied, she grinned.

"Would you like to try some more?" she asked. Misty needed to hear nothing more to start tasting every sort of chocolate available, and the other woman was glad to join her. The cashier then selected different chocolates they'd been tasting, carefully placed them in a heart shaped box that she wrapped up with a red ribbon and delicately put it in a bag. "Here you go", she said as she handed it to the taller woman. Misty payed for the chocolates and was now ready to go, but for some reason she didn't want to leave the blonde woman.

"Did you want anything else?" she could see the swamp witch was hesitating. Misty didn't know what to respond, she wanted to know more about this charming woman, yet a small part of her was telling her that this enterprise would only result in more sorrow.

"I…I'm sorry…I just…" she mumbled.

"Go on, you can tell me anything, don't worry" the woman softly smiled at her as her cheeks started to turn red, causing Misty to also blush. Misty hesitated, staring at her feet for an amount at time that seems to last forever.

"Would you…would you like to grab coffee or something… sometime?" the witch asked. It took Misty all her will to be able to look the woman in the eye. _Her eyes. Beautiful Bambi eyes. They are dazzling_ , _I could get lost in those eyes_ , Misty got caught up in her thoughts.

The cashier looked up at Misty, pleasantly surprised by the proposal. It took her a few seconds to acknowledge it, but she was soon beaming at the taller woman. "I'd love to! Do you want to go right now, or…" She hesitated, waiting for the woman to give her approval.

"Hum, yeah! I don't have anything planned right now… but, I mean… aren't you working right now?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about that" The woman gestured. "I'm sure Poppy can handle it". She called out through door behind her, causing a young girl to come rushing out. The brown eyed woman clearly wanted nothing more than to go and have a drink with Misty. _With this gorgeous woman_ , she thought.

Misty's face lit up as she laid her eyes on the woman. "Oh, and I'm Misty by the way". She let out a small laugh, only just realizing she hadn't introduced herself yet. The witch's words made the tall woman smirk lightly.

"I'm Cordelia, Cordelia Goode." She instinctively leant forward, ready to shake hands with Misty. "Oh I'm sorry, it's just… old habits." She smiled lightly, pulling back as she attempted to scoot round the counter. But before she could do so, Misty grabbed her hand and shook it, ignoring Cordelia's words. The tall women laughed at the swamp witch's actions.

"Shall we?" Misty asked, still holding the other woman's hand in hers. Without letting go, Cordelia came out of behind the counter and lead the other woman to the door. "So, where are we going?"


	2. Chapter 2 - connection

The two women practically leapt out of the shop, impatient to find out what they would do next. The street was now crowded, and Misty held the other woman's hand firmly and lead her through the crowd, making sure she didn't let go of her. Cordelia stopped suddenly, causing the swamp with to turn around.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked with a small smirk, raising her eyebrows. Misty simply smiled as a response, she pulled Cordelia closer as an attempt not to lose sight of her.

They both made their way through and soon ended up in a much less busy street. Slowing down their pace, they stopped in front of a small café, letting go of each other for a moment. Cordelia followed Misty inside, shifting her hand to the woman's back and pushing her softly so she'd go in first. Misty turned around to take the witch's hand as they entered the coffee shop.

The energy that radiated from their connection was magical, dazzling like a ray of sunshine, which caused more than one person to turn around and stare at them. Slightly blushing, they walked to the back of the café, looking for a quiet place to sit. Misty spotted a booth in the corner and glanced at the witch suggestively. Cordelia nodded and swiftly seated herself on the sofa as the swamp witch lifted her shawl slightly so that she could sit comfortably. They both remained silent for a moment, gazing at each other.

Cordelia absent-mindedly placed her hand on Misty's, gently caressing it. She smiled sweetly before she looked down, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks were reddening. The woman opposite her reached across the table to tilt her chin up, pouting sweetly as she looked her in the eye. _Bambi eyes_ looked back at her, the woman was now blushing fiercely as she caught her lower lip between her teeth.

The touch of the other witch made a light spark, causing them both to briefly feel a little dizzy. The chemistry between them was so powerful that they both seemed to lose sight of what was happening around them. They were sinking into a place which felt like a different dimension, where time seemed to be an illusion. The warm and charming atmosphere prevailing in this place made the moment even more enchanting, and neither of them were willing to escape. It seemed as if they were two lost souls which had finally found a purpose.

Misty grinned sheepishly, completely lost in brown eyes as a waitress walked up to their table, momentarily interrupting their connection.

"Are you ready to order?" Cordelia looked up and glanced at the taller woman.

"Sure." Misty replied shyly, her sight going back down to her fidgeting fingers. Her face lit up as Cordelia looked at her with stronger intent, she couldn't help but grin at the witch's sparkly eyes.

"I'll have… hum… what's a chai latte?" Misty questioned the café employee, gathering her thoughts as she went through the menu. Nodding throughout the elaborate answer, she tried to concentrate on the waitress's word, but simply couldn't take her eyes off of the gorgeous woman sitting just across her. _Just a shot away from me._

"Well, let's try that!" Misty came back to reality. Her enthusiastic tone made Cordelia smirk a little, she couldn't get enough of her. She was full of life, so radiant, and that was trait that the supreme truly admired.

"And I'll have a cinnamon spice latte" Cordelia spoke softly. "With almond milk please."

The waitress nodded in acknowledgement and hurried to the counter, leaving the two women alone again. Blond locks swayed gingerly, Misty shifted slightly on her seat, not daring to say a word. Cordelia gathered a strand of hair behind her ear, all sorts of thoughts running through her mind. All she wished for was to get if only a little closer to the curly haired witch.

The waitress soon arrived with their beverages, placing them on the table and vanishing almost instantly. Cordelia watched the woman walk away, eyes quickly coming back to the _sight for sore eyes_ _sitting opposite her_ , she thought.

Misty grinned in content at the sight of the drink, overexcited about the fact of tasting something new. She downed half of the cup in a few seconds, gulping noisily, while Cordelia watched her with amusement. Misty looked up, soon realising what was causing the giggling.

"Sorry." She mumbled, shifting around on her seat and fiddling with her shawl in a nervous manner.

Cordelia took her hand in hers and squeezed it slightly. "That's okay, it was kind of cute." She spoke faster than she had expected, her cheeks immediately turning red.

Misty started to blush and put down her drink. Cordelia took a sip of her latte and watched the swamp witch lick her lips to wipe off the foam, fascinated by the woman's shimmering eyes. She seemed so innocent and just acted naturally, the Supreme could see that her soul was pure of all dark magic. _Is this real or am I just dreaming?_ She wondered.

"So, maybe you could hum… tell me a little bit about yourself? Cordelia asked, laughing in embarrassment. She wanted to learn more about the fascinating woman sitting before her, but definitely didn't want to be too intrusive or sound indiscrete. She barely knew anything about her, yet deep down, it felt like they'd know each other for ever.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at this." She said with a smile. Misty smiled back at her, relieved to hear that the woman was about as nervous as she was. Cordelia's smile was honest, Misty could tell, and that made her feel a little bit more at ease.

"Well, I've been living here for almost two years now. I had to move from Louisiana because there were a lot of toxic people back there. I just needed some fresh air, you know. Misty stared in the distance, trying to avoid the woman's gaze as her eyes started tearing up.

Cordelia stroked her hand softly. "I'm so sorry." She said, feeling genuine concern about the woman. The swamp witch simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"I'm glad I left actually, cause now I have my own healing business here." She said, taking care of the not revealing the true nature of said "healing".

"That's wonderful!" Cordelia gave her a wide smile, squeezing her hand a little more. "What kind of healing do you do?" She asked in a playful tone, raising her eyebrows and squinting her eyes slightly, in a way that could be interpreted as quite flirtatious, although the innocent Misty did not take it that way.

Misty was sipping on her hot beverage and nearly spat it all out at Cordelia's words, she had been hoping not to talk about that. She had dealt with witch hunters all her life, and she hadn't moved to England just to get caught again. Cordelia was trust-worthy, there was no shadow of a doubt, but witchcraft wasn't always very well seen. She didn't want to reveal the fact that she was a witch, and she especially didn't wan to ruin her chances with this woman. _Chances?_ She thought. _What am I thinking? I only met the woman an hour ago… But she's so mysterious, and fascinating… And her eyes… No. I can't. No. She's way too out of my league._

It took her some time to reply, as she was completely lost in thought.

"Hum, well… what I do… It's a little bit complicated to expl…" Her mumbling was interrupted by the other woman.

Cordelia could see that she was hesitating, but she new better. She could sense it. _She was the Supreme after all._ She had to say something to reassure her _._ Taking both of Misty's hands in hers, she looked her in the eye with strong intent.

"I know. I know everything. Don't worry Misty, you're safe, I won't let anything happen to you again." She said in a calm tone.

Misty's eyes widened as she listened to her and tried to absorb the words that echoed in her head. She pulled her hands away suddenly as her heart started to race. Noticeably startled, she sat up straight in a position which would enable her to run away, _just in case_.

Cordelia's immediate reaction was to stop the witch from leaving, she wanted nothing less than to lose another witch. She reached for Misty's hand as an attempt to keep hold of her.

"I too am a witch." She stated, still with a remarkably soothing voice. "I know you are, and I know your intentions are good. I know we both practice white magic."

Misty stared at her, bewildered and still worried about where this conversation was heading. "I'm sorry… I'm not sure I should… maybe I should just" She was interrupted once again.

"I know this may seem a little bizarre, and you absolutely have the right to leave any time you want. But know that our coven can protect you and you're welcome to join us. I just want you to feel safe."

Squinting her eyes and frowning, Misty tried to figure out if the woman opposite her was telling the truth and was an actual witch, or if she was manipulating her. She had seen too many of these people who pretended to show interest in her craft, only to trick her into revealing her powers so that they could denounce her. She has managed to survive until now.

"I know it may be hard to believe, but I can help you." Cordelia tried to reassure the witch the best she could. The thought of losing that connection she felt with her shattered her.

"And I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, I just want you to know that you're safe with me. I've been through the same things as you have, you know. Witch hunters make it hard for us witches to practice our craft." She smiled softly at Misty, who slowly placed her hands back on the table, almost touching Cordelia's.

"People tend to hate what they don't understand." Misty dared to speak while Cordelia nodded _. She seems so different from those people,_ she thought _. She really seems to care. How can this even be true?_

"But well, all that's behind me, now I'm just trying to focus on my incantations. " Misty sighed.

"This drink tastes really good by the way." She smiled as she fidgeted with her pendent. Cordelia noticed the picture on the necklace as she did so.

"Who's this?" She asked as she pointed at the woman's neck.

"That's Stevie!" Misty exclaimed herself, her face lighting up as she said it. "Have you heard of Fleetwood Mac?" The light in her eyes made Cordelia fluster a little.

She had guessed that Misty was a fan of the band as soon as she had first seen her. Her style and free spirit were a clear indicator. Misty started explaining all about how she'd grown to love Stevie, talking about how inspirational she was to her.

"The lyrics are so meaningful. When they perfectly apply to you, it feels as like the song was written especially for you, you know? It just pierces your soul in an extraordinary way." Misty was speaking with such thrill enthusiasm, as brown eyes gazed into hers. The Supreme was listening to her carefully, simply fascinated. _Her voice is like a tune whistling threw the air_ , she though.

Cordelia took a last sip from her drink, not noticing that the cup was now empty as she was completely lost in ocean eyes.

"And have you already seen her on stage?" She asked.

"I wish. "She sighed. "Someday, maybe I will. That's like, my dream." The spark in Misty's eyes was heart-warming. Cordelia nodded, and idea starting to bloom in her mind. The swamp witch finished her drink and put her cup down, smiling back.

"Now it's your turn." She grinned as she pointed at the woman. Cordelia looked down, blushing.

"What would you like to know?" She asked, looking up shyly. Misty took the woman's hands in hers, wishing to fall into the cosmic connection once again. Cordelia's heart skipped a beat at the soft touch.

"Everything."


	3. Chapter 3 - a walk in the park

As they stepped out of the café, the wind hit their faces. Cordelia shivered as she felt the breeze tickle skin, Misty coughed and turned around to face her.

"So was this like… a date?" She asked, with a slight treble in her voice. Cordelia blushed fiercely, although she was not surprised by the question. Actually, she was glad that she'd asked.

"If… if you want to… that's up to you to decide." She replied with a smile, feeling her stomach fluttering.

Misty rambled nervously, trying to hide her sudden blushing.

"Well, I like the sound of that." She spoke under her breath, afraid of scaring off the other woman. To her surprise, the Supreme had distinctly caught what she had said.

"Let's call it a date then." Cordelia stated with a wide smile, as she placed Misty's coat on her shoulders, readjusting the scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Don't forget this." Misty trembled at the touch of the woman. She wished she hadn't been so many layers so that the blonde's delicate fingers would've brushed against her skin.

I could get used to that. Misty chased those thoughts away as she shifted slightly to get a little bit closer to Cordelia, hoping the woman would take the hint. She untangled her hands as an invitation for the Supreme to take one of them in hers.

Cordelia was clear-sighted and was remarkably good at reading body language. She noticed the swamp witch's actions, and it was clear to her that she had to make a move before it would be too late.

Without thinking twice, she took a step forward so that she was standing quite close to her, their noses almost touching.

Misty's heart started racing at an overwhelming pace. She wanted to say something but she simply couldn't speak properly.

"That was… very nice." She said in a shaky voice, which was the only thing she managed to articulate.

"It was." Cordelia replied hesitatingly. She wanted to break the silence that had started to settle between them, yet she didn't dare to do so.

"Well… hum… do you have to get back to work, or…?" Misty asked, desperately hoping that the answer would be negative. Cordelia checked her watch and looked back up to gaze into blue eyes.

"Maybe I should… or…" She mumbled, as Misty let out a sigh. Noticing the woman's reaction, she immediately bounced back.

"You know what? I'm not going to. Because I don't want to." She stated bluntly, causing Misty to gasp. Slightly taken by surprise by Cordelia's sudden initiative, she wasn't quite sure how to react. But when the blonde smiled shyly at her, she couldn't help but grin.

"And why is that?" Misty teased, feeling a ball of fire in the pit of her stomach. Cordelia blushed and looked down at her feet, only just realizing what she had said. That wasn't usually much like her, she didn't know how those words could have possibly come out of her mouth. Looking up, she smirked at the swamp witch's expression.

"You know perfectly what I mean." She said suggestively, raising an eyebrow, deciding to carry on with Misty's little game.

"I don't, actually. Please enlighten me." She tried to swallow her laughter. Cordelia was now blushing fiercely, she had a bit of a knot in her stomach by now.

"I don't… I don't want to leave… I mean… not that I…" She tried to explain herself with gestures, but she just ended up blushing even more and not finishing he sentence. Seeing that she was struggling, Misty smiled softly and took her hand.

"I know. I get it." Her tone was calm and soothing, it made Cordelia relax a little.

"So you're not going back, huh?" She asked, in a tone that clearly implied that this wasn't the woman's intention. Cordelia nodded as her eyes fell back to her feet and she started to fidget with her jewelry.

"What do you wanna do then? Maybe no more chocolates though, I've had enough for about a month!" She joked, waving the bag containing the box of chocolates that she'd bought earlier. They both burst into laughter, and Cordelia almost slipped of the pavement. Misty took hold of her arms immediately, the older witch stumbled a little to find her balance.

"I'm okay." Cordelia smiled and nodded, gathering herself.

"You sure?" Misty asked with worry in her voice, still not letting go of her.

"Sure." Cordelia assured her. She had a certain trouble staying in control of her thoughts feelings, which brought on a dizzy spell.

The swamp witch could see that something was wrong with her, so she wrapped her arms around the woman's body and pulled her into a tight hug. The blonde's actions took Cordelia a bit by surprise, but Misty's gesture seems so natural, she couldn't help but fall into her embrace. It didn't make her feel uncomfortable in the slightest even though she had just met he woman. Cordelia found hugs ever so comforting, _that's the key to my heart really_ , she though as she inhaled the witch's divine scent. She wished this moment could last forever.

The blonde whined under her breath as Misty pulled away, smiling softly. She looked up to stare into sparkly ocean eyes.

"Let's go for a walk!" Misty suddenly said with enthusiasm. Cordelia nodded and chucked softly at how full of life the woman was. As they made their way down the street, she intentionally let her hand swing at her side, so that it could _maybe_ brush against Misty's, while she slid her other hand in the pocket of her cape.

The swamp witch noticed her hand and smiled at her, motioning her actions. Their hands were getting closer little by little as they walked through the park entrance. As soon a as Misty felt a delicate touch against her hand, she gently slipped her hand into Cordelia's. Fingers intertwined without them exchanging a look, but both of them knew the other was smiling. They has met a few hours ago, yet their actions came to them naturally. The simple fact of being together felt like heaven to Misty, who was hoping that the other woman felt the same.

She stopped in front of a glorious roman fountain, admiring the majestic statues. She let witch's hand slip out of hers as Cordelia walked up the steps to the basin to dip her fingers in the reflection of the sun on the water. She watched her as Cordelia moved in such a celestial way and couldn't help but bite her lip at how gorgeous she looked.

The Supreme looked up to the sun and squinted, bathing her face in the light. She turned around and smiled at Misty, who smiled back with dreamy eyes. She invited her to join her at the top with a small sign. The swamp witch climbed the steps as if they were a stairway to heaven, _which they really were_ , Misty thought. Her shawl was bouncing off the ground like a bride's gown, angel like. The curly haired witch reached the top and stopped to gaze at the blonde. Misty blushed and smiled softly.

"Miss Cordelia…" She hesitated.

"Please, you can call me Cordelia." She smiled back at her, also blushing, as she tenderly took her hand.

Misty stepped forward and leant in slightly, not letting go of the woman's gaze. She got lost in chocolate eyes, the spark she saw there simply couldn't lie. Cordelia cupped the woman's cheek as she leant in further. Suddenly, she felt Misty's lips on hers, she shut her eyes as they collided. She eagerly responded, falling into the kiss and completely giving in.

The swamp witch pulled away softly with a smile, trying to keep herself from blushing. Cordelia was also smiling, eyes full of lust. Suddenly feeling confident about her actions, she placed a hand on Misty's waist to keep her close, noses touching as her lips brushed against hers huskily.

Misty playfully pecked her on the nose as she freed herself from Cordelia's embrace, pretending to escape her, causing the woman to whine a little. She didn't let go of her hand and let her down the steps, making Cordelia laugh happily.

Cordelia smiled to herself, she still couldn't believe what had just happened. She was walking on air as she followed the witch through the trees. _Is this what bliss feels like?_


	4. Chapter 4 - only fools rush in

Misty was running through the trees, and Cordelia was having trouble keeping up with her pace. They both ended up in a part of the park that Cordelia had never seen before, that she believed had never actually been there. At least it wasn't there when she had walked around the park previously.

It was a green meadow, some could call it a clairière, bathed in the humid light of a sinking sun. The open space was surrounded by trees, grasshoppers were clicking, and wildflowers grew all over the place. Nature seemed to be blooming blissfully, the sun was shining bright, everything just seemed so peaceful. Cordelia couldn't believe that this place had been there all this time, and that yet she had never seen it.

"So, what do you think?" Misty asked as she sat down on the grass, breathing the fresh air.

"I…" Cordelia had no words to describe what she felt in that moment. It all seemed so magical, and even though she was used to that, it felt a little unreal.

"I just don't know what to say." It was as if this place had robbed her from everything she was and had been before. But not in a negative way, more in the sense of feeling like a whole new entity. She felt as if she was being reborn.

Misty placed her hand on hers, smiling at her softly.

"I know how you feel. It might seem a little weird at first, but you'll see. It's going to be extraordinary, I promise."

Cordelia didn't really know what the witch was talking about, but she decided to trust her. Misty had done the same for her earlier, after all.

And suddenly, it started raining. Strange, since there was not one cloud in sight. But then, when a raindrop landed on Cordelia's hand, the woman gasped.

"It's…it's…no it can't be…how did you…? She was at a loss of words.

"Yes, it is." Misty just nodded in content.

Cordelia took another glance at her palm. It was now completely covered with glitter dust. She had clearly underestimated the witch's powers.

"Did you do this?" She was shaking her head in disbelief.

Misty simply smirked in approval, she'd always wanted to show off her skills but the occasion had never really risen before, and she'd only do it when she felt safe doing so, which was presently the case.

"Flabbergasting, right?" She smiled.

Cordelia laughed a little at the witch's choice of words.

"Yes, flabbergasting indeed. There's no better word to describe…this."

Even though she came across as quite spontaneous and enthusiastic, Misty was pretty private about her craft, and didn't share it with the first person who came along. Cordelia could sense that. She smiled at the thought that the young witch was willing to share it with her. She wondered what else she'd be ready to share.

She was still lost in her thoughts when Misty took both her hands in hers, squeezing them slightly. Cordelia looked up with a smile, only to see her smile right back at her. They locked eyes, and stayed this way for a while, hand in hand and heart to heart. They were both just pleased to be in each other's company right at this moment, to be able to share something so precious, yet so ephemeral. Cordelia looked up, but the moment had passed. No more rain, no more shimmer. The sky was now clear, and the clouds seemed to have vanished instantly.

The prairie was like a pop-up store, it had appeared the moment Misty had led her through the trees and had disappeared in the same way. Before she knew, Cordelia was standing in front of the fountain, with Misty by her side. She could feel the witch's gaze on her, but for some reason couldn't dare to look back.

She didn't quite know how to react to all of this. Maybe she was still shaken by what she had just witnessed, maybe she didn't know how to process all that had happened. Unsure about what to do, she suddenly turned towards Misty, who was flashing a smile. _How could she ever doubt her feelings when the woman looked at her this way?_

"I…" She started, hesitant.

"You what?" Misty asked in a calm tone, taking her hand and stoking it softly.

Cordelia simply stared at her, as if she would send her a message just by looking her in the eye, as if some sort of cosmic occurrence would make Misty aware of everything that she felt but could not say. But that wasn't going to happen, Cordelia knew it. _She herself couldn't understand what she was feeling, so how could Misty?_

The swamp witch looked down at her feet, not knowing what to say either. Cordelia wanted to see her eyes, so she tilted Misty's chin up so that she could face her, her hand getting tangled in blond locks. She was thinking that maybe they should leave things as they were, and both go back home and sleep on it. Maybe give it a bit of time, whatever _it_ meant. But her words didn't quite come out that way.

"Would you like to do this again, say next week?" Cordelia blurted out. The sudden bluntness of her words surprised Misty as much as it surprised her.

"Sure!" The witch replied enthusiastically.

Although the older witch had had some difficulties articulating what she wanted to say, Misty was glad that Cordelia had taken the first step, and she was now looking forward to seeing her again. Things seemed to go well between them, there was a real connection. _Is this what it feels like, could this be love?_ She wondered. Now she was getting lost in her thoughts.

Cordelia, on the other hand, kept going over and over her last few words, over-analyzing each one of her actions. _Had she made the right choices?_ She started doubting that this could work, thinking she had maybe rushed into it. After all, she had just met the girl. She was starting to panic, but showed no signs of it on the outside. She was quite skilled when it came to hiding her feelings. Misty couldn't have possibly guessed that she was, in this very moment, fighting her internal fears that were eating her bit by bit.

Now you may wonder: How can two people, standing in front of each other and having a conversation, have such diametrically opposed opinions on a matter that concerned both of them, and yet think that they're on the same page?

"I'll text you to know when we can meet up again, is that alright with you?" Cordelia smiled, trying to brush off her doubts.

"Sounds good!" Misty was grinning sheepishly.

She took a step closer, hinting that she was trying to kiss her, but the other woman just stood still. Instead, Cordelia pulled her into a hug, and stepped back immediately after the embrace. Misty was a little taken aback by her actions, but figured that it was a totally normal response, since everything had happened so quickly over the course of the afternoon. The older witch probably needed a little space before venturing to greet her in this way. So she simply smiled at her, and Cordelia smiled back, a bit shyer this time. They both felt that it was time for them to go. At least there was one feeling they had at common in this moment.

As Misty was starting to skip away, her shawl waving in the air, Cordelia caught up with her.

"Hey, you forgot to give me your number."

"Oh, yes! How else would you be able to text me? Silly me!" Misty giggled, and Cordelia passed her her phone so that she could add her number. She had unconsciously placed her hand on the witch's shoulder when she had stopped her from leaving, which had not gone unnoticed.

"Here you go!" Misty was slightly blushing. The warm feeling of Cordelia's hand made her heart beat faster. She wanted this moment to last forever, she wanted to hold the woman in her arms and just stay this way for as long as she could.

When Cordelia realized why Misty was gazing at her in such a way, her heart skipped a beat. And then it hit her. She was now wondering why she had, even for one second, doubted her feelings for her. She wanted to pull her closer. She wanted to feel her lips against hers, to kiss her in a way that would make her forget about the rest of the world.

But she just couldn't. She was scared of rushing into something that was so meaningful to her, scared of ending heartbroken. Cordelia was in a dilemma, but her past experiences had led her to go for the safer option. She couldn't do this to Misty. She couldn't risk hurting her.


End file.
